Gavan Reilly leaves Today FM to join TV3

by Páraic McMahon

Published: August 1, 2017 - 4:42 pm

Meath native Gavan Reilly is leaving Today FM to succeed political correspondent Ursula Halligan at TV3 who spent close to two decades in the position.

As the Political Correspondent for Today FM, Gavan was responsible for the station’s political and current affairs coverage across the daily schedule. He also regularly served as a presenter on The Last Word with Matt Cooper, and on Neil Delamere’s Sunday Best.

A graduate of UCD, Gavan is a recognisable face for TV3 viewers having often appeared on Tonight with Vincent Browne and Ireland AM.

Mick McCaffrey, Head of 3News, paid tribute to their signing. “He is one of the most gifted journalists of his generation and his massive social media following is an illustration of how well respected and trusted he is by the general public”.

McCaffrey stated that Reilly would be “making political documentaries and contributing to a wide range of programmes” along with analysing political news from Leinster House and TV3’s newly upgraded News Hub at Ballymount.

Gavan served as political correspondent of Today FM for four years, more recently following a series of changes at Communicorp he fulfilled the same role for Newstalk. He was one of the original journalists with TheJournal.ie upon its creation in 2010.

For the last three years he has been named as Ireland’s most influential Twitter user in politics by the Murray Tweet Index. Gavan took to Twitter sharing his excitement at being part of some new plans for TV3 while admitted he will miss his Today FM colleagues. “Leaving radioland with nothing but happy memories though, after four brilliant years at @TodayFMNews, a great gang I’ll miss an awful lot!”

It is a time of serious change in Irish media. Vincent Browne and Ursula Halligan have both departed TV3 with Cathal MacCoille last week finishing up as one of Morning Ireland’s presenters. In this era of alterations, Gavan Reilly is a journalist that will soon be referred to with such esteem, it is why TV3’s latest appointment is earning such positive remarks.

Excited to become part of the @3NewsIreland team next month – some huge plans in Ballymount @TV3Ireland and delighted to be part of them!